ZEB family is a prognostic biomarker and correlates with anoikis and immune infiltration in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Zinc finger E-box binding homEeobox 1 (ZEB1) and ZEB2 are two anoikis-related transcription factors. The mRNA expressions of these two genes are significantly increased in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), which are associated with poor survival. Meanwhile, the mechanisms and clinical significance of ZEB1 and ZEB2 upregulation in KIRC remain unknown. METHODS: Through the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, expression profiles, prognostic value and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) of ZEB1 and ZEB2 were evaluated. The correlations of ZEB1 and ZEB2 with anoikis were further assessed in TCGA-KIRC database. Next, miRTarBase, miRDB, and TargetScan were used to predict microRNAs targeting ZEB1 and ZEB2, and TCGA-KIRC database was utilized to discern differences in microRNAs and establish the association between microRNAs and ZEBs. TCGA, TIMER, TISIDB, and TISCH were used to analyze tumor immune infiltration. RESULTS: It was found that ZEB1 and ZEB2 expression were related with histologic grade in KIRC patient. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses showed that KIRC patients with low ZEB1 or ZEB2 levels had a significantly lower survival rate. Meanwhile, ZEB1 and ZEB2 are closely related to anoikis and are regulated by microRNAs. We constructed a risk model using univariate Cox and LASSO regression analyses to identify two microRNAs (hsa-miR-130b-3p and hsa-miR-138-5p). Furthermore, ZEB1 and ZEB2 regulate immune cell invasion in KIRC tumor microenvironments. CONCLUSIONS: Anoikis, cytotoxic immune cell infiltration, and patient survival outcomes were correlated with ZEB1 and ZEB2 mRNA upregulation in KIRC. ZEB1 and ZEB2 are regulated by microRNAs.

XPS Analysis of FexNiyPS3 vdW Materials Used in the Hydrogen Evolution Processes.

In response to the global demand for sustainable energy solutions, the quest for stable and cost-effective hydrogen production has garnered significant attention in recent decades. Here, the emergence of layered metal phosphorus trichalcogenides (MPX3, M: transition metal, X: chalcogen) materials and their two-dimensional counterparts with customizable composition and electronic structure holds great promise for such purposes. In the present study, we successfully synthesized large-scale and high-quality FePS3, NiPS3, and an alloyed counterpart, Fe0.5Ni0.5PS3. Subsequent systematic investigations were conducted to probe their respective electronic structures and assess their hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) properties. Remarkably, our results unveiled the successful modulation of the bandgap for FexNiyPS3, ultimately bestowing it with the most favorable HER performance for Fe0.5Ni0.5PS3 when compared to the other two samples. Furthermore, our exploration into the evolution of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra demonstrated that the charge conversions of metal cations play a pivotal role in the HER reactions. This critical insight further enriches our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms governing the performance of the prepared layered MPX3-based electrocatalysts, thus facilitating a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the pre- and post-HER reactions. This work not only sheds light on the intricate interplay between composition, electronic structure, and catalytic performance in the realm of novel electrocatalysts, but also contributes to the broader scientific community's pursuit of sustainable and efficient hydrogen production.

Sub-8 nm networked cage nanofilm with tunable nanofluidic channels for adaptive sieving.

Biological cell membrane featuring smart mass-transport channels and sub-10 nm thickness was viewed as the benchmark inspiring the design of separation membranes; however, constructing highly connective and adaptive pore channels over large-area membranes less than 10 nm in thickness is still a huge challenge. Here, we report the design and fabrication of sub-8 nm networked cage nanofilms that comprise of tunable, responsive organic cage-based water channels via a free-interface-confined self-assembly and crosslinking strategy. These cage-bearing composite membranes display outstanding water permeability at the 10-5 cm2 s-1 scale, which is 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than that of traditional polymeric membranes. Furthermore, the channel microenvironments including hydrophilicity and steric hindrance can be manipulated by a simple anion exchange strategy. In particular, through ionically associating light-responsive anions to cage windows, such 'smart' membrane can even perform graded molecular sieving. The emergence of these networked cage-nanofilms provides an avenue for developing bio-inspired ultrathin membranes toward smart separation.

Performance of trauma scoring systems in predicting mortality in geriatric trauma patients: comparison of the ISS, TRISS, and GTOS based on a systemic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the performance of the Injury Severity Score (ISS), Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS), and the Geriatric Trauma Outcome Score (GTOS) in predicting mortality in geriatric trauma patients. METHODS: The MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were searched for studies published from January 2008 to October 2023. Studies assessing the performance of the ISS, TRISS, or GTOS in predicting mortality in geriatric trauma patients (over 60 years old) and reporting data for the analysis of the pooled area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (HSROC) were included. Studies that were not conducted in a group of geriatric patients, did not consider mortality as the outcome variable, or had incomplete data were excluded. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) Clinical Prediction Rule Checklist was utilized to assess the risk of bias in included studies. STATA 16.0. was used for the AUROC analysis and HSROC analysis. RESULTS: Nineteen studies involving 118,761 geriatric trauma patients were included. The pooled AUROC of the TRISS (AUC = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.77-0.87) was higher than ISS (AUC = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.71-0.79) and GTOS (AUC = 0.80, 95%CI: 0.77-0.83). The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) calculated from HSROC curves also suggested that the TRISS (DOR = 21.5) had a better performance in predicting mortality in geriatric trauma patients than the ISS (DOR = 6.27) and GTOS (DOR = 4.76). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggested that the TRISS showed better accuracy and performance in predicting mortality in geriatric trauma patients than the ISS and GTOS.

A Versatile Strategy for the Generation of Air-stable Radical-functionalized Materials.

The exploration of a facile approach to create structurally versatile substances carrying air-stable radicals is highly desired, but still a huge challenge in chemistry and materials science. Herein, a non-contact method to generate air-stable radicals by exposing pyridine/imidazole ring-bearing substances to volatile cyanuric chloride vapor, harnessed as a chemical fuel is reported. This remarkable feat is accomplished through a nucleophilic substitution reaction, wherein an intrinsic electron transfer event transpires spontaneously, originating from the chloride anion (Cl- ) to the cationic nitrogen (N+ ) atom, ultimately giving rise to pyridinium/imidazolium radicals. Impressively, the generated radicals exhibit noteworthy stability in the air over one month owing to the delocalization of the unpaired electron through the extended and highly fused π-conjugated pyridinium/imidazolium-triazine unit. Such an approach is universal to diverse substances, including organic molecules, metal-organic complexes, hydrogels, polymers, and organic cage materials. Capitalizing on this versatile technique, surface radical functionalization can be readily achieved across diverse substrates. Moreover, the generated radical species showcase a myriad of high-performance applications, including mimicking natural peroxidase to accelerate oxidation reactions and achieving high-efficiency near-infrared photothermal conversion and photothermal bacterial inhibition.

FTO Deficiency Alleviates LPS-induced Acute Lung Injury by TXNIP/NLRP3-mediated Alveolar Epithelial Cell Pyroptosis.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays a role in various diseases, but it has rarely been reported in acute lung injury (ALI). The FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated) protein can regulate mRNA metabolism by removing m6A residues. The aim of this study was to examine the role and mechanism of the m6A demethylase FTO in LPS-induced ALI. Lung epithelial FTO-knockout mice and FTO-knockdown/overexpression human alveolar epithelial (A549) cell lines were constructed to evaluate the effects of FTO on ALI. Bioinformatics analysis and a series of in vivo and in vitro assays were used to examine the mechanism of FTO regulation. Rescue assays were conducted to examine whether the impact of FTO on ALI depended on the TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway. In LPS-induced ALI, RNA m6A modification amounts were upregulated, and FTO expression was downregulated. In vivo, lung epithelial FTO knockout alleviated alveolar structure disorder, tissue edema, and pulmonary inflammation and improved the survival of ALI mice. In vitro, FTO knockdown reduced A549 cell damage and death induced by LPS, whereas FTO overexpression exacerbated cell damage and death. Mechanistically, bioinformatics analysis revealed that TXNIP was a downstream target of FTO. FTO deficiency mitigated pyroptosis in LPS-induced ALI via the TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway. Rescue assays confirmed that the impact of FTO on the TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway was significantly reversed by the TXNIP inhibitor SRI-37330. Deficiency of FTO alleviates LPS-induced ALI via TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway-mediated alveolar epithelial cell pyroptosis, which might be a novel therapeutic strategy for combating ALI.

Network pharmacology-based approach to investigate the molecular targets of essential oil obtained from lavender for treating breast cancer.

Lavender essential oil (LEO) is known for its medicinal use in the development of pharmaceuticals. Further investigations were demonstrated that LEO has many biological properties including apoptosis. However, The anti-breast cancer activity and mechanism of LEO are still unclear. we aim to elucidate the elusive anti-breast cancer activity and mechanism of LEO by unveiling the intricate molecular targets that it engages with, thereby priming it for effective therapeutic intervention against breast carcinoma. In this paper, we extracted LEO from lavender and analyzed it's chemical constituents by using hydro-distillation and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GS-MS/MS) method, respectively. The active components against breast cancer and it's molecular targets were selected and biological process, molecular function, cellular component and involving pathways were evaluated via network pharmacology approach. Cell viability, apoptosis and cell cycle assay were used to evaluate anti-breast cancer effect of LEO. Employing the western blotting method to validate target protein expression following LEO treatment in vitro. We found the 21 effective components and 213 drug-disease common targets of LEO. Amoung them, 7 active components and 19 targets were identified as potential therapeutic targets. Gene ontology results revealed that the drug-disease common targets of LEO were mainly distributed in membrane region, involved in peptide-tyrosine phosphorylation, and primarily associated with protein tyrosine kinase. We also found that drug-disease common targets might contribute to the regulation of PI3K-AKT signaling pathway by using KEGG pathway analysis. Besides, our study demonstrated reduced cell viability, induced apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 treated with LEO while cell cycle arrest was not altered. The AKT1 expression down-regulated while PIK3CA expression was increased in both cell lines. Our findings indicate that LEO has the ability to induce apoptosis by modulating the expression of PI3K-AKT signaling pathway in these cell lines.

ErbB4 promotes M2 activation of macrophages in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common and fatal diffuse fibrotic lung disease accompanied by macrophage M2 activation. ErbB4 is involved in and affects the process of inflammation. In this study, we determined that the mRNA level and protein expression of ErbB4 and M2 cytokine members were increased in the serum of IPF patients. In mouse alveolar macrophage MH-S cells, after knocking down ErbB4 by siRNA, the mRNA level and protein expression of M2 activator induced by interleukin (IL)-4 were decreased compared with the control group. Activating by ErbB4 agonist neuromodulatory protein (NRG)-1, IL-4-induced M2 program was promoted. Mechanistically, treated with NRG-1 in MH-S cells, the phosphorylation level of Akt did not change, while the phosphorylation level of ERK increased. Using SCH772984 to inhibit ERK pathway, the increasing IL-4-induced M2 activation by NRG-1 was inhibited, and the high level of M2 activator protein expression and mRNA expression was restored. Collectively, our data support that ErbB4 and M2 programs are implicated in IPF, and ErbB4 participates in the regulation of M2 activation induced by IL-4 through the ERK pathway.

A serum LncRNA signature for predicting prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality among women, and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have recently been studied to predict the prognosis of various cancers, but whether it is an effective marker in TNBC is inconclusive. METHODS: We used RNA-sequencing analysis to identify differentially expressed exosomal LncRNAs, and qRT-PCR assay was performed to verify dysregulated LncRNAs in multicenter validation cohorts. A signature, which was composed of LINC00989, CEA, and CA153, was then utilized to predict the progression and recurrence of TNBC. Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied to evaluate the prognostic values of the signature. RESULTS: On the basis of RNA-sequencing analysis, we found that serum exosomal LncRNA LINC00989 was significantly up-regulated in metastatic patients of TNBC. Then LINC00989, together with clinic marker CEA and CA125, were selected to construct a prognostic signature. In both training and validation cohort, higher levels of this signature were significantly related with shorter overall and progression-free survival time. Univariate and multivariate analysis shown that the signature was the independent prognosis factor of TNBC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that this prognostic signature might potentially predict prognosis and recurrence of TNBC, and was worth validation in future clinical trials.

Construction and experimental validation of a macrophage cell senescence-related gene signature to evaluate the prognosis, immunotherapeutic sensitivity, and chemotherapy response in bladder cancer.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are pivotal components of tumor microenvironment (TME), and senescent TAMs contribute to the alternation of the profiles of TME. However, the potential biological mechanisms and the prognosis value of senescent macrophages are largely unknown, especially in bladder cancer (BLCA). Based on the single-cell RNA sequencing of a primary BLCA sample, 23 macrophage-related genes were identified. Genomic difference analysis, LASSO, and Cox regression were used to develop the risk model. TCGA-BLCA cohort (n = 406) was utilized as the training cohort, and then, three independent cohorts (n = 90, n = 221, n = 165) from Gene Expression Omnibus, clinical samples from the local hospital (n = 27), and in vitro cell experiments were used for external validation. Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B (AKR1B1), inhibitor of DNA binding 1 (ID1), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1I1) were determined and included in the predictive model. The model serves as a promising tool to evaluate the prognosis in BLCA (pooled hazard ratio = 2.51, 95% confidence interval = [1.43; 4.39]). The model was also effective for the prediction of immunotherapeutic sensitivity and chemotherapy treatment outcomes, which were further confirmed by IMvigor210 cohort (P < 0.01) and GDSC dataset, respectively. Twenty-seven BLCA samples from the local hospital proved that the risk model was associated with the malignant degree (P < 0.05). At last, the human macrophage THP-1 and U937 cells were treated with H2O2 to mimic the senescent process in macrophage, and the expressions of these molecules in the model were detected (all P < 0.05).Overall, a macrophage cell senescence-related gene signature was constructed to predict the prognosis, immunotherapeutic response, and chemotherapy sensitivity in BLCA, which provides novel insights to uncover the underlying mechanisms of macrophage senescence.

Mesenchymal stromal cell-derived magnetic nanovesicles for enhanced skin retention and hair follicle growth.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Extracellular vesicles and exosome-mimetic nanovesicles (NVs) derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have emerged as promising to promote hair growth. However, short local skin retention after subcutaneous administration hinders their clinical applications. METHODS: In this study, we prepared magnetic nanovesicles (MNVs) from iron oxide nanoparticle-incorporated MSCs. MNVs contained more therapeutic growth factors than NVs derived from naive MSCs, and their localization and internalization were manipulated by external magnetic field. RESULTS: Following the subcutaneous injection of MNVs into a mouse model of depilation-induced hair regeneration, the magnetic attraction increased their skin retention. Then, the cellular proliferation and ß-catenin signaling in hair follicles (HF) were markedly enhanced by MNV injection and magnetic field application. Furthermore, an acceleration of HF growth was revealed by histological analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed strategy can enhance the therapeutic potential of MSC-derived NVs for hair regeneration and other dermatological diseases.

Realization of a New Graphene-Ferromagnet Interface with Dirac Linear Band Dispersion.

The integration of graphene in spintronics applications requires its close contact with ferromagnetic materials, promoting effective spin injection. At the same time, the linear energy vs wave-vector dependence for the charge carriers in the vicinity of the Fermi level for graphene has to be conserved. Here, motivated by recent theoretical predictions, we present the experimental realization on the synthesis of graphene/ferromagnetic-Mn5Ge3/semiconducting-Ge heterostructures using the intercalation of Mn in the epitaxial graphene/Ge interfaces. Different in situ and ex situ methods confirm the formation of such heterosystems, where graphene is in close contact with ferromagnetic Mn5Ge3, as the Curie temperature reaches room temperature. Despite the expected small distance between graphene and Mn5Ge3 causing the strong interaction at interfaces, our angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy experiments for the formed graphene/Mn5Ge3 interfaces confirm the linear band dispersion around the Fermi level for the carriers in graphene. These findings open up an interesting perspective for the integration of graphene in modern semiconductor technology with possible implications for spintronics device fabrication.

Immobilizing Metal Nanoparticles on Hierarchically Porous Organic Cages with Size Control for Enhanced Catalysis.

Incorporating metal nanoparticles (MNPs) into porous composites with controlled size and spatial distributions is beneficial for a broad range of applications, but it remains a synthetic challenge. Here, we present a method to immobilize a series of highly dispersed MNPs (Pd, Ir, Pt, Rh, and Ru) with controlled size (<2 nm) on hierarchically micro- and mesoporous organic cage supports. Specifically, the metal-ionic surfactant complexes serve as both metal precursors and mesopore-forming agents during self-assembly with a microporous imine cage CC3, resulting in a uniform distribution of metal precursors across the resultant supports. The functional heads on the ionic surfactants as binding sites, together with the nanoconfinement of pores, guide the nucleation and growth of MNPs and prevent their agglomeration after chemical reduction. Moreover, the as-synthesized Pd NPs exhibit remarkable activity and selectivity in the tandem reaction due to the advantages of ultrasmall particle size and improved mass diffusion facilitated by the hierarchical pores.

Overexpression of SPHK1 associated with targeted therapy resistance in predicting poor prognosis in renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) is a key enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation of sphingosine. Recent studies reported SPHK1 to be associated with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) progression by inducing targeted therapy resistance. However, the expression and the clinical significance of SPHK1 on RCC in those having received targeted therapy have not been elucidated. The present study explored the expression of SPHK1 in RCC tissues from targeted therapy recipients, the correlation of SPHK1 with clinicopathological parameters, and the effect of SPHK1 on RCC patient prognosis. Methods: Differential gene expression analysis of RCC treated with and without targeted therapy was performed. The correlations of SPHK1 expression with clinical parameters of RCC were examined. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to clarify the potential role of SPHK1 associated with targeted therapy resistance. The value of SPHK1 as a diagnostic marker for RCC was also evaluated. The Kaplan-Meier method was applied to analyze the correlation between SPHK1 expression and patient survival rate by using the clinical data from patients with RCC. Results: Significant overexpression of SPHK1 was detected in RCC treated with targeted therapy. SPHK1 expression was closely correlated with RCC progression-related clinicopathological parameters. Therefore, elevated SPHK1 could effectively diagnose RCC and distinguish RCC with an advanced clinical stage and a high pathological grade. SPHK1 was associated with the stemness of RCC cells via the activation of the Wnt, Hedgehog, or Notch signaling pathways in targeted drug-treated or untreated RCC. Survival analysis of a large cohort of RCC samples indicated overexpression of SPHK1 to be inversely correlated with the overall and disease-free survival of patients with RCC. Conclusions: Our study indicated that SPHK1 associated with targeted therapy resistance could serve as a potential prognostic marker and a valuable biomarker of response to angiogenic agents in RCC.

Ergothioneine attenuates varicocele-induced testicular damage by upregulating HSP90AA1 in rats.

This study investigates the therapeutic effect and the underlying mechanisms of ergothioneine (EGT) on the testicular damage caused by varicocele (VC) in vivo, in vitro, and in silico. This preclinical study combines a series of biological experiments and network pharmacology analyses. A total of 18 Sprague Dawley (SD) male rats were randomly and averagely divided into three groups: the sham-operated, VC model, and VC model with EGT treatment (VC + EGT) groups. The left renal vein of the VC model and the VC + EGT groups were half-ligated for 4 weeks. Meanwhile, the VC + EGT group was intragastrically administrated with EGT (10 mg/kg). GC1 and GC2 cells were exposed to H2 O2 with or without EGT treatment to re-verify the conclusion. The structure disorder of seminiferous tubules ameliorated the apoptosis decrease in the VC rats receiving EGT. EGT can also increase the sperm quality of the VC model rats (p < 0.05). The exposure to H2 O2 decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis of GC1 and GC2 cells, which was revisable by adding EGT to the plates (p < 0.05). The network pharmacology and molecular docking were conducted to explore the potential targets of EGT in VC, and HSP90AA1 was identified as the pivotal gene, which was validated by western blot, immunohistochemistry, and RT-qPCR both in vivo and in vitro (p < 0.05). Overall, EGT attenuates the testicular injury in the VC model both in vivo and in vitro by potentially potentiating the expression of HSP90AA1.

Long-Lived Multiple Charge Separation by Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer.

Multiple charge separation has been successfully realized by a proton-coupled electron transfer reaction in an organic cocrystal. Benefiting from the adjustable electronic energy level of the electron donor and acceptor through thermal-induced proton migration, distinct optical absorption behaviors combined with color changes to blue or green are observed in these charge-separated states. It is of interest to note that such charge-separated states exhibit a longer lifetime of over a month as a result of the excellent coplanarity and π-π interaction of the electron acceptors. Moreover, the enhanced absorption toward longer wavelengths endows the charge-separated state with near-infrared (808 nm) photothermal conversion for imaging and bacterial inhibition, whereby the conversion performance can be controlled by the degree of proton migration.

Air-Stable Radical Organic Cages as Cascade Nanozymes for Enhanced Catalysis.

The pursuit of single-assembled molecular cage reactors for complex tandem reactions is a long-standing target in biomimetic catalysis but still a grand challenge. Herein, nanozyme-like organic cages are reported by engineering air-stable radicals into the skeleton upon photoinduced electron transfer. The generation of radicals is accompanied by single-crystal structural transformation and exhibits superior stability over six months in air. Impressively, the radicals throughout the cage skeleton can mimic the peroxidase of natural enzymes to decompose H2 O2 into OH· and facilitate oxidation reactions. Furthermore, an integrated catalyst by encapsulating Au clusters (glucose oxidase mimics) into the cage has been developed, in which the dual active sites (Au cluster and radical) are spatially isolated and can work as cascade nanozymes to prominently promote the enzyme-like tandem reaction via a substrate channeling effect.

Research progress on the therapeutic effect and mechanism of metformin for lung cancer (Review).

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer­associated death worldwide. Despite the availability of various treatments such as surgery, chemoradiotherapy, targeted drugs and immunotherapy, treatment is expensive and the prognosis remains poor. At present, lung cancer drugs and treatment programs remain in a state of continuous exploration and research to improve the prognosis, and to reduce the pain and economic burden for the patients. Type 2 diabetes is a common chronic disease in middle­aged and elderly patients, leading to significantly increased complications of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Epidemiology shows that type 2 diabetes also increases the incidence of malignant tumors, including lung, liver, colorectal and pancreatic cancer. Metformin is a biguanide, widely used as a first­line oral drug in treating type 2 diabetes. Metformin has a hypoglycemic effect and a biological antitumor impact, reducing the incidence of various tumors, including lung cancer, and improving the prognosis of patients with tumors. The anti­lung cancer effect of metformin involves a variety of mechanisms that can improve the therapeutic effect and prognosis of lung cancer, as a single drug or in combination with other therapies. The present study aims to review the associated literature and the therapeutic effects of metformin on lung cancer.

Synthesis and Structure of 2-Hydroxypropyl Methacrylate-Capped Isophorone Diisocyanate and Poly(Propylene Glycol) Urethane Mixtures and the Properties of their UV-Cured Co-Networks with Isobornyl Methacrylate.

Polyurethane acrylate prepolymers with different contents of HIPIH and HIH were synthesized via reacting excessive isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) with poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) and then end-capping with 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA) in isobornyl methacrylate (IBOMA). After the addition of the photoinitiator PI 1173, the resulting prepolymer resins were irradiated by UV light to form cured materials. The structures of the prepolymers were confirmed by 1H NMR, FT-IR, and GPC. SEM analyses proved that no obvious phase separation was observed within the cured sample. As the content of HIH increased, the viscosity of the prepolymers increased slightly. In addition, the gel content, solvent resistance, Shore hardness, Young's modulus, and the tensile strength of the cured films increased, whereas the elongation at break decreased gradually. The volume shrinkage of the cured samples ranged between 4.5% and 4.8%. DMA analyses showed that the Tgs of the cured samples increased as more HIH structures existed. TGA analyses revealed that the cured samples had high thermal stability. This solvent-free fabrication process was simple, convenient, and controllable. By simply regulating the contents of HIPIH and HIH in the prepolymers, the performances of the cured materials could be adjusted to a wide range.